Choose Culloden Battlefield tours by departure and inclusions
Culloden Battlefield tours on this page run for nine hours from Inverness or seven hours from Invergordon. The Inverness journeys depart from 15 Union Street; the shore excursion starts at 37 Shore Road in Invergordon. These are different starting points serving different travel plans, so choose the departure before comparing the stops along the route.
For a day from Inverness with a 30-minute Loch Ness cruise and Urquhart Castle entry included, choose that combination; for a cruise-port start, choose the seven-hour Invergordon excursion. The Inverness alternative with Clava Cairns includes a Loch Ness cruise but leaves the Culloden visitor centre and whisky tasting as extras. A private journey or battlefield walk offers different group sizes and routes.
Culloden day trips
From Inverness, choose between trips with a Loch Ness cruise. Cruise passengers can join the shore excursion from Invergordon, which includes Urquhart entry.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of November 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Culloden shore excursion from Invergordon
- Entry to Urquhart Castle
- Local Highland guide
- Return to ship guaranteed
This seven-hour port excursion visits Clava Cairns when vehicle access permits. The return-to-ship guarantee is part of the tour.
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Loch Ness and Culloden from Inverness
- 30-minute Loch Ness cruise
- Urquhart Castle entry ticket
- Local guide
The nine-hour trip visits Culloden; entry to its battlefield exhibition costs extra.
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Culloden and Loch Ness by bus
- Loch Ness cruise
- Highland Whisky Distillery visit
- Transportation by bus
This nine-hour trip visits Urquhart Castle and Culloden; entry to the visitor centre and whisky tasting cost extra.
Check availability →Day journeys via Culloden
Compare the Inverness combinations by their Loch Ness and Urquhart inclusions, or start at Invergordon for the separate cruise-port excursion.
Day trips from Inverness
Inverness day trips depart from 15 Union Street and last nine hours, with hotel pickup and drop-off excluded on both journeys. Build the walk to the meeting point into the morning rather than arranging the day around collection from accommodation. The transport guide also explains self-organised travel if the fixed departure does not suit.
Loch Ness cruise with Urquhart admission
The itinerary with a 30-minute Loch Ness cruise includes return transport from Inverness in an air-conditioned midi-coach, a local guide, Urquhart Castle entry and a visit to Beauly Priory. The Culloden Battlefield Exhibition is paid separately. This combination suits visitors who want the boat duration and castle admission settled as part of the organised day.
Clava Cairns, Loch Ness and a distillery visit
The other nine-hour itinerary includes bus transport, a guide, a Loch Ness cruise, free time in Beauly, a Highland whisky distillery visit and visits to Urquhart Castle, Culloden Battlefield and Clava Cairns. Whisky tasting and admission to the Culloden visitor centre cost extra. Treat the Urquhart stop as a visit with its own admission question, rather than include castle entry in the comparison.
Shore excursion from Invergordon
The Invergordon shore excursion lasts seven hours and starts at 37 Shore Road, with a local Highland guide and a small-group format. The itinerary includes a scenic drive along Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle entry and exploration of Culloden Battlefield. A visit to Clava Cairns depends on vehicle access. Museum admission at Culloden should be budgeted separately.
The excursion is designed around a cruise-port departure and includes a return-to-ship guarantee as a product feature. Food and drinks are extra. Keep the port arrangement separate from plans starting in Inverness or at the airport. For the ancient monuments themselves, read the Clava Cairns visiting guide; they date to the Bronze Age and are distinct from the battlefield graves.
Exhibition admission and optional stops
Culloden visitor centre admission is separate on both Inverness combinations. The centre's exhibition uses objects from both armies, weapons and interactive interpretation, with a 360-degree immersion room. Decide whether the indoor exhibition matters to the day before choosing a route with several other stops. The museum guide covers the current tariffs and access details.
The centre opens from 09:00 to 16:00 daily between 2 November 2026 and 28 February 2027, with last admission at 15:30. The battlefield opens daily throughout the year, with outdoor paths that can become muddy in wet weather. A stop on the field and a full indoor visit therefore need different planning, especially when the route also includes Loch Ness.
Fort George as a self-organised addition
Fort George belongs in a separately arranged visit rather than the included route of these excursions. From 1 October to 31 March it opens from 10:00 to 16:00, with last entry one hour before closing, and closes on 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January. The site remains in military use; noise and low-flying helicopters are possible, and some rooms may be inaccessible.
Cawdor Castle also needs its own seasonal decision. Its regular 2026 season ran from 25 April to 4 October and has ended; winter visits are by arrangement for a privately guided visit. A castle name in a wider journey is not a reason to plan on ordinary winter admission.
Outlander stories and historical ground
The Invergordon excursion includes Outlander filming locations and stories alongside the historical stops. Keep that part of the commentary separate from the events of the Battle of Culloden. At the memorials, use the battle and remembrance guide to distinguish the fighting in 1746 from the cairn and grave markers erected in 1881.
Questions about the day trips
Where do the Inverness tours start?
15 Union Street in Inverness is the start for both nine-hour combinations described here. Hotel pickup and drop-off are excluded on these trips. Plan how to reach the meeting point from your accommodation, then compare the cruise, castle admission and Clava stops within the organised day.
Which journey includes Urquhart Castle entry?
The nine-hour Inverness combination with a 30-minute Loch Ness cruise includes Urquhart Castle entry, as does the seven-hour Invergordon shore excursion. The other Inverness journey includes a visit to Urquhart. Keep the castle admission distinction separate from Culloden exhibition admission, which is an additional cost on the Inverness trips.
When does the shore excursion visit Clava Cairns?
The Invergordon excursion visits Clava Cairns when vehicle access permits. Its included route also covers Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle admission and exploration of Culloden Battlefield. Treat the cairns as a conditional stop within the seven-hour port excursion, rather than the sole purpose of booking the journey.